October 3, 2025 • 30 mins
Nicole Ari Parker On Boogie Nights, Gymwrap, Marriage With Boris, 'And Just Like That...' + More
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Speaker 1 (00:03):
What's up his Way Up with Angela Yee.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
And this is the first and you're making me feel
so good already, Nicole Ari Parker is here.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
Welcome to Way Up.
Speaker 3 (00:12):
Thank you good to be here.
Speaker 1 (00:14):
Man.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Listen when I tell you just such a legend as
long as you've been in this game.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
You know, from Baltimore.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
We were just talking about that because it's mirrors from Baltimore.
Shout out to Tree Unique. But I know today we're
here talking about your entrepreneurship. But I have to say
there was a point where I did a scene on Empire.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
I know I was would say, we work together.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
Yeah, that sounds so good. Say that again, we work together?
Speaker 3 (00:38):
We did?
Speaker 2 (00:38):
We work together guys, so yes, And you made me
feel so much more comfortable because that is not like
a space that I'm comfortable in.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
Well, a set in general is pretty hectic, you know,
like getting their hair makeup, everybody fussing over you, the
guy with the microphones, putting going down and under your arm,
and then the tape and then everything.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
And doing it like a billion times and being there
all day for like a one scene.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
I was like, I don't know how you guys do this.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
I know, I don't even know how it still gets done,
Like so much time is involved to get one shot.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
Did you always know this is what you wanted to do?
Like this was your path?
Speaker 1 (01:13):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (01:13):
Yeah, yeah. I graduated from high school at seventeen. I
got into NYU early. I knew I wanted to be
in New York. But you know, I come from a
working class family, and I knew I wanted to be
an actor. But I decided to go into the school
of journalism. You know, I was I was going to make,
you know, become something that I could quote unquote fall
(01:33):
back on. But second, by the time second semester hit,
I was like, I have to fully commit. So I
called home and my dad was like, look, if you're
going to do this, you got to promise me you're
going to You're going to, you know, go all the
way in.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
What does fully committing look like? Like, what did it
look like back then when you were fully committing?
Speaker 3 (01:50):
Me meant, you know, the Tisch schooler Arts is a
real program, So it's like going to that, yeah, but
also it means there's not necessarily a there's no job guarantee.
When you get out. You still got to hit the
pavement you have to be proactive. Back then, you get
your head shots, mail them, okay headshots.
Speaker 1 (02:11):
That would take a selfie mail it.
Speaker 3 (02:12):
Then trying to afford the head shots, then your three jobs.
Then once you're out of the dorms, you know, you
got to find six people to share an apartment with.
Speaker 1 (02:23):
Yeah, because New York is no joke.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
Yeah, it wasn't a joke back then either, And I
just did it. I don't know how. I just kept going.
I remember I got Boogie Nights and I was living
on one hundred and tenth Street and I had the
oldest apartment you could ever imagine. The building is still there,
and like it was everybody. It was like French, African musicians,
(02:46):
there was opera singer, Dominicans, black people, white people. It
was amazing.
Speaker 1 (02:53):
It was actually like by Columbia's campus too.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
Yeah, well it's top of the park but on the
west side. Yeah, yeah, it is kind of near.
Speaker 1 (03:01):
Because that's like when sixteen Columbia Universe, right.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
Is That's right? So anyway, I was I got the
call that I got Boogie Nights and that that.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
Was a huge, huge, But you said recently, Leonardo DiCaprio
said he turned down that role.
Speaker 1 (03:15):
Wow, and that was supposed to be his. Yeah, and
then Mark Hlberg killed that role.
Speaker 3 (03:21):
And yeah, what a Greatffman movie to like book first,
that's a great classic movie to have booked like so
early on. Yeah, Yeah, it was an unforgettable experience. You know,
we got to go to a real porn set in
the valley.
Speaker 1 (03:39):
He's young.
Speaker 3 (03:44):
A point.
Speaker 1 (03:44):
Were they filming a porn or did you?
Speaker 3 (03:46):
Yeah, it was I went, like you came to a
production where I was in. I went to a production
where porn stars were in and they were prepping and
it was a female director. Oh wow, yes, and like
the girls were prepping, I went into the makeup room
to get to know them and talk. You know, I'm
playing a porn star. But even though the movie was
set in the seventies, and I was like, so tell me,
and she proceeds to fully shave.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
While you're there, full on.
Speaker 3 (04:10):
It's Freddy Eagle like, like this was her normal she
And she wasn't drugged out or any connotations or had
no sense of self. She was totally a functioning adult
who loved her job.
Speaker 1 (04:24):
Yeah, some people will say it's empowering.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
Yeah, to feel like this is what I want to
do and this is my choice to do this, and
this is just a job.
Speaker 3 (04:32):
And I had to like recalibrate myself really like I'm
in this position right now talking to them. I'm like, well,
what's gonna happen today. She's like, well, it's my birthday,
it's my character's birthday. I'm gonna have an orgy, and
then I'm gonna have a girl girl scene, and then
one of my friends is gonna get mad, like just
breaking down the script. And then you know, I'm looking
(04:52):
at her and I'm like, what's the big deal. I mean,
I have one too, right. It's like five minutes I
calmed down.
Speaker 1 (05:01):
You know, I can.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
Imagine that I was gonna get in trouble mom and dad.
Speaker 1 (05:05):
What I was gonna say?
Speaker 2 (05:06):
What did your parents say when that was the first,
like for you booking a role as a porn star
where they concerned.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
Yeah, but he edited really well, I think you saw boob.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
But I mean, but I mean, even when you tell
them like, hey, guys, I booked this role.
Speaker 3 (05:20):
I set it up like I'm gonna do a movie
with Burt Reynolds.
Speaker 4 (05:22):
Okay, okay, okay, yeah, you know, but you know I
have a funny story about my mom, Like she got
a call the like two in the morning, and my
mom's from the South, and she's like, don't call my
house at two in the morning.
Speaker 3 (05:38):
If it's not about my kid, don't call. So her
my aunt, her younger sister. He was Pam, and she
called and she sais Jean. They call her name is Susan,
but they call her Jean. Every family's got one, like,
just how's your name Jean? So Jean. The lady at
my job said she saw Nicky in the movie and
she showed a titty. My mom said, Pam, if the
(06:02):
lady saw titty, Nikka evidently showed a ditty.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
Oh good answer.
Speaker 3 (06:07):
Good night man. I was like twenty five or something.
I don't know. I was a grown up. I was
a grown up.
Speaker 1 (06:12):
That is crazy.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
You know, it's interesting for that to be your first experience,
because I like how you talked about like going to
a poor and set, because we do have like these
preconceived notions. Yeah, what it is to be like a
stripper or an exotic answer, or a porn star or
even only fans.
Speaker 1 (06:28):
That's today's answers.
Speaker 2 (06:29):
So all of that is only fans, Yes, and sometimes
you meet people, and meeting somebody like that early on
will make you be like, okay, what's there? You know, yeah,
that's your choice share path.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
Like what's more interesting is the market for it that
you can there's such a demand for nudity, you know,
there's such a demand for performance, seduction, all the things
that it is that that's an option, Like, you know,
it feels like people shouldn't be so repressed that they
needed or whatever.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
I just think, you know what else, I think it's
interesting for women. We don't care to see men like that,
Like you know the listip clubs, like the guys will
be there, like it's a regular let's go get some
lamp chops and some wings, but we're not really Like
I don't know too many male strip clubs where we
can go and like do the same thing. I don't
know what that is, but it's like we don't really
go and spend our money on that because I guess
(07:21):
maybe it's easier for us to just I don't.
Speaker 3 (07:24):
Know, I think that I don't I don't know what
like you mean, but you know, women have private parties
and the men come to them.
Speaker 2 (07:32):
Yeah, but I feel like a actual club like, we
don't have an actual like unless you go to like
Vegas or something.
Speaker 3 (07:38):
Because I don't think men bring in the same amount
of money.
Speaker 1 (07:41):
Yeah, they don't bring it.
Speaker 3 (07:42):
I think girls right, and you know what, but I
just think that we're more of like interest, like we're
you know, like women like our I don't know, the
demand for us is greater. It's more currencies.
Speaker 1 (07:56):
We find.
Speaker 3 (07:59):
We got the.
Speaker 2 (07:59):
Powerm What we need to do is for these women
in a club, we need to sponsor some gym wraps
for them.
Speaker 1 (08:04):
Yeah, so they don't mess up their hair.
Speaker 3 (08:06):
Well, you know, they are the hottest, so they need
to work out and they keep take care of themselves.
And so let us do it.
Speaker 2 (08:14):
Let's transition into the gym raps because I want to
talk about this because I love that you have this
product that you are it's a hair accessory. So tell
me about gym wraps.
Speaker 3 (08:24):
Well, I made it twelve years ago in my kitchen.
I just needed to make a sweat band that worked.
That's it. And to anyone out there entrepreneurs, I just
had an idea. I took the first step and I
didn't have a business degree. I didn't know where to
get a manufacturer. I had finally sown my first prototype.
I made it myself, and then I had a business
(08:46):
partner and I met like five different manufacturers. I found
one that could understand what edges were and why I
needed this to be like this. I made three different styles.
I wanted one that was a full bandana. I want
the guys to be able to use it. And then
it took off. It took off like I had my
(09:06):
finger on the pulse of something that it wasn't just
for me, it was for all of us, you know.
And I did research on women's health, and I just
got more and more involved in inspiring us to take
care of ourselves. And I know that a large part
of the reason we don't take care of ourselves because
we spend so much money on our hair.
Speaker 2 (09:25):
Listen, and when I tell you, like, there's times that
I'm like, man, I really do want to work out,
but I don't feel like having to wash my hair again,
I don't feel like having to do this. Or if
you have your hair straight and like you want to
make sure that you don't sweat it out. Yeah, those
things matter a lot. Yeah, Yeah, it spends so much
money on it in time.
Speaker 3 (09:42):
Yeah, but at a certain point I had I got
a chance to meet the Surgeon General. It was a
black woman at the time, and she doctor Bendermin. She
told me that like seventy percent of the things that
affect us as women, especially women of color, are preventable,
that's a fact, preventable. And she said they were preventable
(10:06):
by being more invested in our diet and exercise.
Speaker 1 (10:09):
And when we were.
Speaker 2 (10:10):
At Empire on set, you were talking to me about
your diet at that time. I remember that was a
conversation that we had that always kind of stuck with me.
Speaker 3 (10:18):
Well, when you actually talk to most actors on a series,
like a long commitment, like you have to get your
regimen down. The hours are long, four o'clock calls. You
can't go eight hours without some kind of nutrition. You
need water. So you become weirdly, you know, responsible and
devoted and committed because you'll pass out. It's just it's
(10:42):
just too much work. So health becomes a priority. And
then when the clothes don't fit.
Speaker 1 (10:47):
And then when you can see it on TV and then.
Speaker 3 (10:51):
Yes, yes, and you're like, let me just go in
the gym real quick, but my hair, and it's not
just for preserving your hairstyle. It is such an incredible
sweat absorber. Another thing, I had a little money. I
always tell the story of how I bought some like
(11:13):
late night time on television, and I bought a little
bit of time on the tennis channel, and it was
my biggest return.
Speaker 1 (11:23):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (11:24):
Because outdoor athletes, volleyball players, soccer players, tennis players male
and female, they sweat so much and that's that is
in your eyes and it blew out the water.
Speaker 2 (11:37):
Oh maybe for boxing because you box, yeah, yeah, and
boxing gyms.
Speaker 3 (11:46):
Sell it in gyms like boxing training gems or CrossFit
or something like that. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (11:51):
Because the other thing about that too, because even if
you get like a little cut or something like that,
you don't need anything going in your eye. I feel
like that always is something that will distract somebody so much,
you know, having to keep on wiping.
Speaker 3 (12:01):
The marketing to walk.
Speaker 1 (12:03):
Okay, period, we're.
Speaker 2 (12:04):
Beginning to know, and you know, I want to also
say that I was so happy to see you on just.
Speaker 1 (12:10):
Like, can we talk about that for a second.
Speaker 2 (12:13):
There was one episode in particular that was so funny
to me, and that's when Charlotte was coming to dinner
at your house. And first she thought you were going
to come see her, and she didn't have any black friends,
so she was trying to invite like a black couple
over to try to like so you could feel quote
more comfortable. But then she ends up going to your
(12:33):
house and you don't have any white friends. All your
friends are black. And it's funny because when she walks
in it.
Speaker 3 (12:37):
First that was the first season, I think, yeah, that.
Speaker 1 (12:40):
Was in the first season.
Speaker 2 (12:41):
There's a painting as soon as you walk in and
it says I think it said whites only or something
like that that like it was a piece of artwork
that looks like it was from the Apartheid Museum.
Speaker 3 (12:52):
You mean the Gordon Parks photograph. Yeah, with the lady
and the little girl. And I was like, it.
Speaker 2 (12:57):
Was just it was such a powerful moment to see
walk in there and then that painting was it was something.
Speaker 3 (13:03):
It was a photo, it's Gordon Parks.
Speaker 1 (13:04):
Yeah, it always stuck in my mind.
Speaker 3 (13:06):
Yeah, they were very intentional. You know, sometimes when you
add a air quotes black character to a show, it's
it's just for face only and for checking a box.
But they were so the producers were put black women
in the writer's room. They put women in general in
(13:26):
the writer's room. It was such a nice balance. So
even the art direction in my apartment was intentional because
this woman exists. She wasn't a cookie cutter version of anybody.
She was this Upper East Side black New York powerful
woman and everybody knows them, but they never get They
always get sent up as comedy or over the top
(13:49):
fancy Auntie never like fully dynamic, sexy, dressed to the nines,
collects art, travels, loves her children and her husband. They
really flushed it out.
Speaker 2 (14:02):
I liked that a lot because I did watch Sex
in the City like growing up, and there definitely wasn't
a lot of us. Yeah, I can't even remember who
was on the.
Speaker 3 (14:10):
Lair under what everybody remembers.
Speaker 1 (14:11):
Oh yeah, yeah, that's why I underwe it was on there.
Speaker 2 (14:14):
But then I always felt like that was one of
the issues where I could never like fully feel like, Okay,
I'd like, you know, some of the ends of the
show I could appreciate because they're universal themes, but it's like,
how are you in New York and there's no representation
of like seeing us, so seeing you on there and
you were so amazing, Like, I was like, that's who
I would have been friends with, you know too, So
(14:36):
what was that like for you playing that role? Like,
and because I know that also had a lot of
like craziness when it comes to people who watch.
Speaker 3 (14:45):
Oh, I was not prepared for this show, the fans
of the show. I mean, because this show means everything
to hundreds of millions of people all over the world.
And when they added black people and gay people or
non binary people, everybody lost their mind. And I had
(15:06):
never experienced that, you know, that kind of social media like.
Speaker 2 (15:10):
Because if Sofa would have been out when social media, yeah,
I think you would have Well that was.
Speaker 3 (15:15):
I think they would have loved it. I wouldn't have
gotten the same. Well, no, it had gotten a lot
of attention. Yes, yes, yes, yes, I met bors on
sulfur Yes, but but yeah, I wasn't ready. But it
got better after everybody calmed down, you know, it got better,
(15:38):
and I think it ended on a really good note.
Speaker 2 (15:41):
Yeah, you know, I was thinking, since you said you
met Boris on soul food one of the themes also
for just like that was like a power struggle and
a marriage and a relationship and you guys are both
really successful, like in your own right, what is that
balance like at home when you're with somebody who is
equally as you know, yoked as you are, but also
equally as ambitious.
Speaker 3 (16:03):
I think you know, anybody to tell you married with
kids is not easy or you know, cookie cutter or anything.
It's just I think there has to be a couple
of things baseline that you both want to have, like
whether you're a lawyer and a doctor being married crazy schedules,
whether you're an accountant and a hairdresser, total crazy schedules.
(16:23):
So it's like there has to be one or two
things that y'all are just just agree on, Like I
want to be married to you and I want to
have children with you, so you everything, all the craziness
works around whatever your baseline is. And that's really all
I can say. I mean, we've had fights, we've not
(16:44):
spoken to each other, we've disagreed on parenting.
Speaker 2 (16:48):
I mean it's been twenty years, right, twenty years. No way,
that's not going to happen in the course of twenty years.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
Oh my god, full on. And he's so different than me.
He is German and Ghanaian and I am from the
inner city. Of Baltimore. Like he's very calm, he's very organized,
he's very like like no loud, he's not loud, But
you don't you think that gotten better to think that lens.
Speaker 2 (17:17):
Is kind of what works, right, because you can't both
be like super quiet or super loud.
Speaker 1 (17:22):
That doesn't really work.
Speaker 3 (17:23):
I don't know. There's some people out there that are
just happiest clams and they're very They're minimalist and quiet
and gentle to the public.
Speaker 2 (17:30):
We don't know what's going on behind the scenes, and
I have to imagine that even like having to be
on set and work all day, it's nice to have
somebody that understands that too.
Speaker 3 (17:40):
Yes, there was Yeah. I mean for me, being married
to another actor was perfect because it was like they
understood the exhaustion. They understood understood getting up at three
in the morning, over time, you know, staying late, all
the things that could be But I made dinner. No,
like totally get it.
Speaker 2 (18:00):
People have to understand how hard that job is though,
Like I told you when I did, you know, I've
done like a couple of little scenes and play and
I was like, I don't know how people do this.
For like a couple of months at a time. It
is so exhausting. Yeah, and like it's really a full
day and it's sometimes a lot of like waiting, but
a whole.
Speaker 3 (18:16):
Lot waiting, and just when you get comfortable, you're like, oh,
it's gonna be another hour. It's like twenty seven minutes.
You know what, you don't know how long it's going
to take anything to go come get you?
Speaker 2 (18:25):
Yes, how do you think filming today is so different
than it used to be?
Speaker 1 (18:29):
Also?
Speaker 2 (18:30):
You know if you think about like how even like
things being more digital, and you know, like before I
think about how they used to have to like redo
whole things, but now you could kind of like, I mean,
I don't know, because that's not my world, But do
you think that right now it's a little easier today
just because of modern technology.
Speaker 3 (18:48):
I think that what I've noticed from because I'm not
on the production side, I think what I'm noticing as
an actor is that if time is way more important
and money and going over budget because so much is changing,
studios don't have time to do four hundred takes, right,
So all right, it didn't matter you didn't have the
(19:08):
fork in your hand. We'll put it, fix it in
post we'll fix it in post. All the money is
going to the editing and like you said, AI is
taking over, but the digital capacity in the editing room
has shortened some of that time on set. It's frightening,
but you know, or'll be like, oh my coffee, I
got it on my white suit and that last take. Yeah,
we'll fix it in post.
Speaker 1 (19:29):
I see your tattoo right here. How many tattoos do
you have?
Speaker 3 (19:32):
I have two? This one is inn diigrid symbol from Ghana.
It's a whole long story. It's really just one, but
I put three here because it's like a promise I
made with God. You know that I you know, acknowledge
him and see him. So this keeps me grounded. And
then this tattoo is Sophie's birthday inside of a heart.
(19:55):
Don't all. She tricked me because I was like, my
children are not havn't tattoos And she got one week
and she was like, mommy, what if what if? She
was like, I don't know, sixteen or seventeen, what if
you put a heart on your arm with my birthday?
And I put a little heart on she got and
she got me.
Speaker 2 (20:14):
I was like, you would have pulled up birth like
that sweet Okay, let's go together.
Speaker 3 (20:18):
Pull on.
Speaker 2 (20:19):
Oh man, it's hat out to my makeup artists keys.
Her birthday just passed, like I want to say, it
was like a week and a half ago, and her
and her.
Speaker 1 (20:25):
Daughter both got matching tattoos and her daughters.
Speaker 2 (20:28):
I think she's like eighteen. Yeah, she's like my daughter
tricked me. So that's the trick.
Speaker 1 (20:31):
That's the listening and.
Speaker 3 (20:32):
Get go right to the pull on the heart strings
and mommy, okay.
Speaker 2 (20:35):
Yes, so talk to me about this whole entrepreneurship journey
for you, though, I want to say another thing, as
we were talking about earlier, you know, diet and making
sure that we're taking care of ourselves from the inside out.
Speaker 1 (20:47):
You know.
Speaker 2 (20:47):
We also on the show have discussed a lot about
like women's health issues and fibruarys and detoxes and things
like that. What are some things that you do to
make sure that you maintain yourself as amazingly as you have?
Speaker 3 (20:59):
Well, I think I think that if people really sit
down with themselves, sometimes we don't work out because we
just don't feel like it, even though we know all
of the benefits.
Speaker 1 (21:08):
It's my last priority, last priority.
Speaker 3 (21:10):
So I sat down with myself and I was like,
what is this? I don't feel like it. What is
it really about? And I prayed about it and all
the things, and I meditated on it, and I realized
that it wasn't convenient. You know how when you have
stuff to do, it all can work. I can pick
(21:31):
up that before work, I can get to work, I
can do that after work. I can make somebody help
me pick up my kids after this. Before you have logistics.
So I was like, I have to put exercise in
an easy logistics for me. So I did for a
while because I wanted to try different things. One thing
I tried is I would put my let's say, leggings
on or my shorts on and my tank top and
(21:52):
that's what I would sleep in.
Speaker 1 (21:53):
So you get up and go right away, and I
get up and go right away.
Speaker 3 (21:56):
I had to pre prepare. And that's a little dramatic,
but that's half.
Speaker 2 (22:00):
The battle is getting dressed. Yes, yes, once you put
the clothes on, don't committed.
Speaker 3 (22:05):
The second thing I did was because then going to
the gym became problematic. I created a side of the
bad workout. Just get down there. You don't need any equipment.
You do push ups, sit ups, squats, lunges, jump up
and down and call it a day. You could do
that whole thing three times every day.
Speaker 1 (22:29):
Have you posted it?
Speaker 3 (22:30):
I did. I had a fitness app for a while. Yeah, Like,
I mean, maybe we'll do it together, gym wraps. We
need to, We'll do a FaceTime and do it together
like women.
Speaker 2 (22:40):
Because I travel a lot too, and so I noticed
that for a hotel and it's perfect for it.
Speaker 3 (22:45):
So then I was like, Okay, make it a part
of a pre prepared routine, that's the getting dressed at night.
Do it on the side of the bed. And then
there was a third excuse, and it was like because
I don't feel like it could still win. I was like,
most of us believe in being grateful, right, whether it's
to whatever God you believe in, you always say thank
(23:07):
you to that high apoblety. And I decided, what if
I categorized a short circuit or exercise of some cardio
as the way I say thank you? Okay, I bow
my head every day before a meal, every single time,
at an airport, in a fast food chain, or at
a dinner table. Why can't I take thirty minutes to
(23:30):
say thank you. Okay, just thank you. I'm not trying
to lose weight, I'm not trying to burn this, I'm
not trying to build anything. I am just saying thank you.
Speaker 1 (23:41):
That's a great idea.
Speaker 3 (23:42):
And I just tie my gym wrap on and say
thank you.
Speaker 2 (23:46):
Because I really do all the things like look, I
don'n downloaded apps.
Speaker 1 (23:49):
Yes, I got yoga mats.
Speaker 3 (23:52):
For the traveling for the hotel room.
Speaker 2 (23:54):
I got treadmills, I got a bike, I got all.
Speaker 1 (23:57):
The things like where what is up all these?
Speaker 3 (23:59):
And you know, he's Spartacus, and if you go back
twenty five years, he looks exactly the same. He's one
of those people that was, of course an athlete, but
when he stopped playing professional tennis, it's just in him
to want to feel a certain way. So exercise is
part of that.
Speaker 1 (24:18):
Yeah, and so yeah, it's not fair, it's not fair.
Speaker 3 (24:23):
But so he works out all the time. So when
I created a gym rap, I had to include men.
So he wears them every day. He just ties the
black bandy or the cameo full train.
Speaker 2 (24:34):
What I like is that they're beautiful too, And sometimes
I think like things like that normally aren't like cute,
but I also like to work out when I have
like little cute things to work out in it. Yes,
I don't want to be one of those people that
always like take pictures, because you know how there's people
that go to the gym and they like take pictures
and videos and that's it, and you're like, did you
do anything? But it is nice when you can have
something cute on. It makes you a little graphic. Yes,
(24:56):
you feel a little pumped up. I think we need
a gym rap playlist along. Yeah, I want to know
what's on your What is on your playlist? It could
be like whatever, Like what is some things you listen
to when you work out?
Speaker 3 (25:08):
Well, right now I'm listening to Bad Bunny. Yeah it's serious.
Speaker 2 (25:17):
So you were excited when they announced that he's doing
the halftime show. Yes, yes, I think it's a beautiful thing.
Speaker 3 (25:23):
Yes, me too. I think you know. Sometimes we were
talking before we went on the air about the craziness
we're all experiencing and witnessing, and sometimes God puts craziness
in front of your face to make everyone come together
and wake up. And there's something about the NFL choosing
bad bunny to do that right, and so everybody is
(25:46):
coming out of the woodwork to celebrate this moment, which
makes me feel good in the craziness Roles.
Speaker 1 (25:51):
I thought that was a really clever choice.
Speaker 2 (25:53):
It wasn't even somebody I was thinking of, because when
we were trying to speculate, you know, they're always like,
who's going to be doing a super halftime show? I
was thinking, like, Tayla's so, but then they said she
was out right, and then when they annasced, I was like,
that's really like the perfect choice right now in the
midst of all this is super smart to be able
to do that, and he's a huge star, you know,
no matter what. But now you see Ice is saying
they're going to be they're going to have the President's office.
(26:15):
They're saying they're going to have Ice there to kind
of like, I guess, harass people or I don't know
how they put it, but yeah, so that's the other.
Speaker 3 (26:24):
Thing, you know, Molly Willim danger Girl.
Speaker 2 (26:29):
It feels like a movie, Like that's what it feels like.
I can't believe this is, you know what things have
come to. I saw in Canada they've made like a
travel warning to come to the United States, and you
see how many people are like canceling travel here. You
see how Vegas is struggling right now, they're like doing
their first discounts ever because internationally people aren't trying to
(26:50):
come here right now. They don't feel they don't feel
safe come into the United States. But everything that's happening here,
and I think that's awful, Like that's not what this
is supposed to be about.
Speaker 3 (26:59):
So I just don't understand what the what the forecast is,
Like what are you hoping to achieve? Like for all
of us to be gone? And then y'all stuck with y'all?
Like fine, Latinos and blacks can survive in their own neighborhoods,
right if you just like you know, Tulsa, like we
are fully sufficient. We're athletes, bankers, musicians, restauranteurs, everything, But
(27:26):
the elimination is the frightening thing.
Speaker 1 (27:30):
Like who are y'all gonna temorize? If you we're not hearing?
Speaker 3 (27:33):
Do you know what I mean? But no, but like,
what are you hoping to achieve? What is this just
just white faces? Is that what're you're going for?
Speaker 2 (27:40):
Like it's and it's so interesting to me because when
we talk about people who are, say undocumented, there's white
people undocumented here.
Speaker 1 (27:47):
They're just not getting harassed.
Speaker 2 (27:49):
Yeah, because for some reason, are we supposed to think
that that's what America is like white people are the.
Speaker 1 (27:57):
Like, no, that's not what this is.
Speaker 3 (27:59):
Like, I just I just don't get it. Yeah, And
they're and they're and they're adding the narrative of criminal
you know, criminalizing us and all these things, and it's like, Okay,
you're all all it's going to be pure lily white. Okay,
get your dream come true. There's going to be thieves
and criminals and and all kinds. You're going to face
to face with yourself. It's a it's a pipe it's
(28:20):
awful pipe dream.
Speaker 1 (28:25):
What what are some projects that you're working on in
the future.
Speaker 2 (28:28):
I'm just curious, like, aside from obviously you know, the
gym wraps have been popping.
Speaker 1 (28:32):
I know. I'm sorry. That's why I want to get
back to you.
Speaker 3 (28:34):
Yes, oh okay, tell me who sah?
Speaker 1 (28:37):
All right? What else is Nicole Iie Parker working.
Speaker 3 (28:39):
On a lot of little things? You know, with the
actor you you can't say yes, yes, okay, oh, but
I'm in Green Lantern.
Speaker 1 (28:49):
Okay, yes, I see that DC. Yes, all right, well.
Speaker 3 (28:51):
It's coming out. The series is coming out next year.
I shot it this summer.
Speaker 1 (28:55):
Okay, so it's all done and wrapped.
Speaker 3 (28:57):
Yes, all done and wrapped.
Speaker 1 (28:59):
So I'll see you again for that. Yes.
Speaker 3 (29:01):
And you know I love being back in New York.
Took fifteen years to get Boris to say, let's come back.
Speaker 2 (29:07):
I know we're happy that you're back here till I
can't even imagine how different it is from when you
lived here before.
Speaker 3 (29:13):
Oh it's it's very different. But I just love this city.
I love it so much.
Speaker 2 (29:18):
This city loves you so thank you to see now,
how can people get these gym reps to just letting
people know where they can find it?
Speaker 1 (29:24):
And then I know you're going to be working on
that playlist too.
Speaker 3 (29:27):
Oh yes, I am to make note for yes, okay,
it comes out tomorrow. Okay, okay, all right, I'll have
it out tomorrow. So where can people find it? Gimrep
dot com.
Speaker 1 (29:39):
Oh well that makes sense, gymrap dot com. I'm on it.
Speaker 2 (29:42):
By the way, we're going to be ordering those because
I can see myself looking.
Speaker 3 (29:45):
Cute and I'm going to send you a gift box.
Speaker 2 (29:46):
All right, I'm still order it though. It sounds like
a great gift in time for the holidays. Yes, I
love that.
Speaker 1 (29:51):
And you got to come back up and see us.
Now that you're here, there's no excuses.
Speaker 3 (29:54):
I will always for you.
Speaker 1 (29:56):
All right, thank you. It's way up
What's up his Way Up with Angela Yee.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
And this is the first and you're making me feel
so good already, Nicole Ari Parker is here.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
Welcome to Way Up.
Speaker 3 (00:12):
Thank you good to be here.
Speaker 1 (00:14):
Man.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Listen when I tell you just such a legend as
long as you've been in this game.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
You know, from Baltimore.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
We were just talking about that because it's mirrors from Baltimore.
Shout out to Tree Unique. But I know today we're
here talking about your entrepreneurship. But I have to say
there was a point where I did a scene on Empire.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
I know I was would say, we work together.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
Yeah, that sounds so good. Say that again, we work together?
Speaker 3 (00:38):
We did?
Speaker 2 (00:38):
We work together guys, so yes, And you made me
feel so much more comfortable because that is not like
a space that I'm comfortable in.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
Well, a set in general is pretty hectic, you know,
like getting their hair makeup, everybody fussing over you, the
guy with the microphones, putting going down and under your arm,
and then the tape and then everything.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
And doing it like a billion times and being there
all day for like a one scene.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
I was like, I don't know how you guys do this.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
I know, I don't even know how it still gets done,
Like so much time is involved to get one shot.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
Did you always know this is what you wanted to do?
Like this was your path?
Speaker 1 (01:13):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (01:13):
Yeah, yeah. I graduated from high school at seventeen. I
got into NYU early. I knew I wanted to be
in New York. But you know, I come from a
working class family, and I knew I wanted to be
an actor. But I decided to go into the school
of journalism. You know, I was I was going to make,
you know, become something that I could quote unquote fall
(01:33):
back on. But second, by the time second semester hit,
I was like, I have to fully commit. So I
called home and my dad was like, look, if you're
going to do this, you got to promise me you're
going to You're going to, you know, go all the
way in.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
What does fully committing look like? Like, what did it
look like back then when you were fully committing?
Speaker 3 (01:50):
Me meant, you know, the Tisch schooler Arts is a
real program, So it's like going to that, yeah, but
also it means there's not necessarily a there's no job guarantee.
When you get out. You still got to hit the
pavement you have to be proactive. Back then, you get
your head shots, mail them, okay headshots.
Speaker 1 (02:11):
That would take a selfie mail it.
Speaker 3 (02:12):
Then trying to afford the head shots, then your three jobs.
Then once you're out of the dorms, you know, you
got to find six people to share an apartment with.
Speaker 1 (02:23):
Yeah, because New York is no joke.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
Yeah, it wasn't a joke back then either, And I
just did it. I don't know how. I just kept going.
I remember I got Boogie Nights and I was living
on one hundred and tenth Street and I had the
oldest apartment you could ever imagine. The building is still there,
and like it was everybody. It was like French, African musicians,
(02:46):
there was opera singer, Dominicans, black people, white people. It
was amazing.
Speaker 1 (02:53):
It was actually like by Columbia's campus too.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
Yeah, well it's top of the park but on the
west side. Yeah, yeah, it is kind of near.
Speaker 1 (03:01):
Because that's like when sixteen Columbia Universe, right.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
Is That's right? So anyway, I was I got the
call that I got Boogie Nights and that that.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
Was a huge, huge, But you said recently, Leonardo DiCaprio
said he turned down that role.
Speaker 1 (03:15):
Wow, and that was supposed to be his. Yeah, and
then Mark Hlberg killed that role.
Speaker 3 (03:21):
And yeah, what a Greatffman movie to like book first,
that's a great classic movie to have booked like so
early on. Yeah, Yeah, it was an unforgettable experience. You know,
we got to go to a real porn set in
the valley.
Speaker 1 (03:39):
He's young.
Speaker 3 (03:44):
A point.
Speaker 1 (03:44):
Were they filming a porn or did you?
Speaker 3 (03:46):
Yeah, it was I went, like you came to a
production where I was in. I went to a production
where porn stars were in and they were prepping and
it was a female director. Oh wow, yes, and like
the girls were prepping, I went into the makeup room
to get to know them and talk. You know, I'm
playing a porn star. But even though the movie was
set in the seventies, and I was like, so tell me,
and she proceeds to fully shave.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
While you're there, full on.
Speaker 3 (04:10):
It's Freddy Eagle like, like this was her normal she
And she wasn't drugged out or any connotations or had
no sense of self. She was totally a functioning adult
who loved her job.
Speaker 1 (04:24):
Yeah, some people will say it's empowering.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
Yeah, to feel like this is what I want to
do and this is my choice to do this, and
this is just a job.
Speaker 3 (04:32):
And I had to like recalibrate myself really like I'm
in this position right now talking to them. I'm like, well,
what's gonna happen today. She's like, well, it's my birthday,
it's my character's birthday. I'm gonna have an orgy, and
then I'm gonna have a girl girl scene, and then
one of my friends is gonna get mad, like just
breaking down the script. And then you know, I'm looking
(04:52):
at her and I'm like, what's the big deal. I mean,
I have one too, right. It's like five minutes I
calmed down.
Speaker 1 (05:01):
You know, I can.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
Imagine that I was gonna get in trouble mom and dad.
Speaker 1 (05:05):
What I was gonna say?
Speaker 2 (05:06):
What did your parents say when that was the first,
like for you booking a role as a porn star
where they concerned.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
Yeah, but he edited really well, I think you saw boob.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
But I mean, but I mean, even when you tell
them like, hey, guys, I booked this role.
Speaker 3 (05:20):
I set it up like I'm gonna do a movie
with Burt Reynolds.
Speaker 4 (05:22):
Okay, okay, okay, yeah, you know, but you know I
have a funny story about my mom, Like she got
a call the like two in the morning, and my
mom's from the South, and she's like, don't call my
house at two in the morning.
Speaker 3 (05:38):
If it's not about my kid, don't call. So her
my aunt, her younger sister. He was Pam, and she
called and she sais Jean. They call her name is Susan,
but they call her Jean. Every family's got one, like,
just how's your name Jean? So Jean. The lady at
my job said she saw Nicky in the movie and
she showed a titty. My mom said, Pam, if the
(06:02):
lady saw titty, Nikka evidently showed a ditty.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
Oh good answer.
Speaker 3 (06:07):
Good night man. I was like twenty five or something.
I don't know. I was a grown up. I was
a grown up.
Speaker 1 (06:12):
That is crazy.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
You know, it's interesting for that to be your first experience,
because I like how you talked about like going to
a poor and set, because we do have like these
preconceived notions. Yeah, what it is to be like a
stripper or an exotic answer, or a porn star or
even only fans.
Speaker 1 (06:28):
That's today's answers.
Speaker 2 (06:29):
So all of that is only fans, Yes, and sometimes
you meet people, and meeting somebody like that early on
will make you be like, okay, what's there? You know, yeah,
that's your choice share path.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
Like what's more interesting is the market for it that
you can there's such a demand for nudity, you know,
there's such a demand for performance, seduction, all the things
that it is that that's an option, Like, you know,
it feels like people shouldn't be so repressed that they
needed or whatever.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
I just think, you know what else, I think it's
interesting for women. We don't care to see men like that,
Like you know the listip clubs, like the guys will
be there, like it's a regular let's go get some
lamp chops and some wings, but we're not really Like
I don't know too many male strip clubs where we
can go and like do the same thing. I don't
know what that is, but it's like we don't really
go and spend our money on that because I guess
(07:21):
maybe it's easier for us to just I don't.
Speaker 3 (07:24):
Know, I think that I don't I don't know what
like you mean, but you know, women have private parties
and the men come to them.
Speaker 2 (07:32):
Yeah, but I feel like a actual club like, we
don't have an actual like unless you go to like
Vegas or something.
Speaker 3 (07:38):
Because I don't think men bring in the same amount
of money.
Speaker 1 (07:41):
Yeah, they don't bring it.
Speaker 3 (07:42):
I think girls right, and you know what, but I
just think that we're more of like interest, like we're
you know, like women like our I don't know, the
demand for us is greater. It's more currencies.
Speaker 1 (07:56):
We find.
Speaker 3 (07:59):
We got the.
Speaker 2 (07:59):
Powerm What we need to do is for these women
in a club, we need to sponsor some gym wraps
for them.
Speaker 1 (08:04):
Yeah, so they don't mess up their hair.
Speaker 3 (08:06):
Well, you know, they are the hottest, so they need
to work out and they keep take care of themselves.
And so let us do it.
Speaker 2 (08:14):
Let's transition into the gym raps because I want to
talk about this because I love that you have this
product that you are it's a hair accessory. So tell
me about gym wraps.
Speaker 3 (08:24):
Well, I made it twelve years ago in my kitchen.
I just needed to make a sweat band that worked.
That's it. And to anyone out there entrepreneurs, I just
had an idea. I took the first step and I
didn't have a business degree. I didn't know where to
get a manufacturer. I had finally sown my first prototype.
I made it myself, and then I had a business
(08:46):
partner and I met like five different manufacturers. I found
one that could understand what edges were and why I
needed this to be like this. I made three different styles.
I wanted one that was a full bandana. I want
the guys to be able to use it. And then
it took off. It took off like I had my
(09:06):
finger on the pulse of something that it wasn't just
for me, it was for all of us, you know.
And I did research on women's health, and I just
got more and more involved in inspiring us to take
care of ourselves. And I know that a large part
of the reason we don't take care of ourselves because
we spend so much money on our hair.
Speaker 2 (09:25):
Listen, and when I tell you, like, there's times that
I'm like, man, I really do want to work out,
but I don't feel like having to wash my hair again,
I don't feel like having to do this. Or if
you have your hair straight and like you want to
make sure that you don't sweat it out. Yeah, those
things matter a lot. Yeah, Yeah, it spends so much
money on it in time.
Speaker 3 (09:42):
Yeah, but at a certain point I had I got
a chance to meet the Surgeon General. It was a
black woman at the time, and she doctor Bendermin. She
told me that like seventy percent of the things that
affect us as women, especially women of color, are preventable,
that's a fact, preventable. And she said they were preventable
(10:06):
by being more invested in our diet and exercise.
Speaker 1 (10:09):
And when we were.
Speaker 2 (10:10):
At Empire on set, you were talking to me about
your diet at that time. I remember that was a
conversation that we had that always kind of stuck with me.
Speaker 3 (10:18):
Well, when you actually talk to most actors on a series,
like a long commitment, like you have to get your
regimen down. The hours are long, four o'clock calls. You
can't go eight hours without some kind of nutrition. You
need water. So you become weirdly, you know, responsible and
devoted and committed because you'll pass out. It's just it's
(10:42):
just too much work. So health becomes a priority. And
then when the clothes don't fit.
Speaker 1 (10:47):
And then when you can see it on TV and then.
Speaker 3 (10:51):
Yes, yes, and you're like, let me just go in
the gym real quick, but my hair, and it's not
just for preserving your hairstyle. It is such an incredible
sweat absorber. Another thing, I had a little money. I
always tell the story of how I bought some like
(11:13):
late night time on television, and I bought a little
bit of time on the tennis channel, and it was
my biggest return.
Speaker 1 (11:23):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (11:24):
Because outdoor athletes, volleyball players, soccer players, tennis players male
and female, they sweat so much and that's that is
in your eyes and it blew out the water.
Speaker 2 (11:37):
Oh maybe for boxing because you box, yeah, yeah, and
boxing gyms.
Speaker 3 (11:46):
Sell it in gyms like boxing training gems or CrossFit
or something like that. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (11:51):
Because the other thing about that too, because even if
you get like a little cut or something like that,
you don't need anything going in your eye. I feel
like that always is something that will distract somebody so much,
you know, having to keep on wiping.
Speaker 3 (12:01):
The marketing to walk.
Speaker 1 (12:03):
Okay, period, we're.
Speaker 2 (12:04):
Beginning to know, and you know, I want to also
say that I was so happy to see you on just.
Speaker 1 (12:10):
Like, can we talk about that for a second.
Speaker 2 (12:13):
There was one episode in particular that was so funny
to me, and that's when Charlotte was coming to dinner
at your house. And first she thought you were going
to come see her, and she didn't have any black friends,
so she was trying to invite like a black couple
over to try to like so you could feel quote
more comfortable. But then she ends up going to your
(12:33):
house and you don't have any white friends. All your
friends are black. And it's funny because when she walks
in it.
Speaker 3 (12:37):
First that was the first season, I think, yeah, that.
Speaker 1 (12:40):
Was in the first season.
Speaker 2 (12:41):
There's a painting as soon as you walk in and
it says I think it said whites only or something
like that that like it was a piece of artwork
that looks like it was from the Apartheid Museum.
Speaker 3 (12:52):
You mean the Gordon Parks photograph. Yeah, with the lady
and the little girl. And I was like, it.
Speaker 2 (12:57):
Was just it was such a powerful moment to see
walk in there and then that painting was it was something.
Speaker 3 (13:03):
It was a photo, it's Gordon Parks.
Speaker 1 (13:04):
Yeah, it always stuck in my mind.
Speaker 3 (13:06):
Yeah, they were very intentional. You know, sometimes when you
add a air quotes black character to a show, it's
it's just for face only and for checking a box.
But they were so the producers were put black women
in the writer's room. They put women in general in
(13:26):
the writer's room. It was such a nice balance. So
even the art direction in my apartment was intentional because
this woman exists. She wasn't a cookie cutter version of anybody.
She was this Upper East Side black New York powerful
woman and everybody knows them, but they never get They
always get sent up as comedy or over the top
(13:49):
fancy Auntie never like fully dynamic, sexy, dressed to the nines,
collects art, travels, loves her children and her husband. They
really flushed it out.
Speaker 2 (14:02):
I liked that a lot because I did watch Sex
in the City like growing up, and there definitely wasn't
a lot of us. Yeah, I can't even remember who
was on the.
Speaker 3 (14:10):
Lair under what everybody remembers.
Speaker 1 (14:11):
Oh yeah, yeah, that's why I underwe it was on there.
Speaker 2 (14:14):
But then I always felt like that was one of
the issues where I could never like fully feel like, Okay,
I'd like, you know, some of the ends of the
show I could appreciate because they're universal themes, but it's like,
how are you in New York and there's no representation
of like seeing us, so seeing you on there and
you were so amazing, Like, I was like, that's who
I would have been friends with, you know too, So
(14:36):
what was that like for you playing that role? Like,
and because I know that also had a lot of
like craziness when it comes to people who watch.
Speaker 3 (14:45):
Oh, I was not prepared for this show, the fans
of the show. I mean, because this show means everything
to hundreds of millions of people all over the world.
And when they added black people and gay people or
non binary people, everybody lost their mind. And I had
(15:06):
never experienced that, you know, that kind of social media like.
Speaker 2 (15:10):
Because if Sofa would have been out when social media, yeah,
I think you would have Well that was.
Speaker 3 (15:15):
I think they would have loved it. I wouldn't have
gotten the same. Well, no, it had gotten a lot
of attention. Yes, yes, yes, yes, I met bors on
sulfur Yes, but but yeah, I wasn't ready. But it
got better after everybody calmed down, you know, it got better,
(15:38):
and I think it ended on a really good note.
Speaker 2 (15:41):
Yeah, you know, I was thinking, since you said you
met Boris on soul food one of the themes also
for just like that was like a power struggle and
a marriage and a relationship and you guys are both
really successful, like in your own right, what is that
balance like at home when you're with somebody who is
equally as you know, yoked as you are, but also
equally as ambitious.
Speaker 3 (16:03):
I think you know, anybody to tell you married with
kids is not easy or you know, cookie cutter or anything.
It's just I think there has to be a couple
of things baseline that you both want to have, like
whether you're a lawyer and a doctor being married crazy schedules,
whether you're an accountant and a hairdresser, total crazy schedules.
(16:23):
So it's like there has to be one or two
things that y'all are just just agree on, Like I
want to be married to you and I want to
have children with you, so you everything, all the craziness
works around whatever your baseline is. And that's really all
I can say. I mean, we've had fights, we've not
(16:44):
spoken to each other, we've disagreed on parenting.
Speaker 2 (16:48):
I mean it's been twenty years, right, twenty years. No way,
that's not going to happen in the course of twenty years.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
Oh my god, full on. And he's so different than me.
He is German and Ghanaian and I am from the
inner city. Of Baltimore. Like he's very calm, he's very organized,
he's very like like no loud, he's not loud, But
you don't you think that gotten better to think that lens.
Speaker 2 (17:17):
Is kind of what works, right, because you can't both
be like super quiet or super loud.
Speaker 1 (17:22):
That doesn't really work.
Speaker 3 (17:23):
I don't know. There's some people out there that are
just happiest clams and they're very They're minimalist and quiet
and gentle to the public.
Speaker 2 (17:30):
We don't know what's going on behind the scenes, and
I have to imagine that even like having to be
on set and work all day, it's nice to have
somebody that understands that too.
Speaker 3 (17:40):
Yes, there was Yeah. I mean for me, being married
to another actor was perfect because it was like they
understood the exhaustion. They understood understood getting up at three
in the morning, over time, you know, staying late, all
the things that could be But I made dinner. No,
like totally get it.
Speaker 2 (18:00):
People have to understand how hard that job is though,
Like I told you when I did, you know, I've
done like a couple of little scenes and play and
I was like, I don't know how people do this.
For like a couple of months at a time. It
is so exhausting. Yeah, and like it's really a full
day and it's sometimes a lot of like waiting, but
a whole.
Speaker 3 (18:16):
Lot waiting, and just when you get comfortable, you're like, oh,
it's gonna be another hour. It's like twenty seven minutes.
You know what, you don't know how long it's going
to take anything to go come get you?
Speaker 2 (18:25):
Yes, how do you think filming today is so different
than it used to be?
Speaker 1 (18:29):
Also?
Speaker 2 (18:30):
You know if you think about like how even like
things being more digital, and you know, like before I
think about how they used to have to like redo
whole things, but now you could kind of like, I mean,
I don't know, because that's not my world, But do
you think that right now it's a little easier today
just because of modern technology.
Speaker 3 (18:48):
I think that what I've noticed from because I'm not
on the production side, I think what I'm noticing as
an actor is that if time is way more important
and money and going over budget because so much is changing,
studios don't have time to do four hundred takes, right,
So all right, it didn't matter you didn't have the
(19:08):
fork in your hand. We'll put it, fix it in
post we'll fix it in post. All the money is
going to the editing and like you said, AI is
taking over, but the digital capacity in the editing room
has shortened some of that time on set. It's frightening,
but you know, or'll be like, oh my coffee, I
got it on my white suit and that last take. Yeah,
we'll fix it in post.
Speaker 1 (19:29):
I see your tattoo right here. How many tattoos do
you have?
Speaker 3 (19:32):
I have two? This one is inn diigrid symbol from Ghana.
It's a whole long story. It's really just one, but
I put three here because it's like a promise I
made with God. You know that I you know, acknowledge
him and see him. So this keeps me grounded. And
then this tattoo is Sophie's birthday inside of a heart.
(19:55):
Don't all. She tricked me because I was like, my
children are not havn't tattoos And she got one week
and she was like, mommy, what if what if? She
was like, I don't know, sixteen or seventeen, what if
you put a heart on your arm with my birthday?
And I put a little heart on she got and
she got me.
Speaker 2 (20:14):
I was like, you would have pulled up birth like
that sweet Okay, let's go together.
Speaker 3 (20:18):
Pull on.
Speaker 2 (20:19):
Oh man, it's hat out to my makeup artists keys.
Her birthday just passed, like I want to say, it
was like a week and a half ago, and her
and her.
Speaker 1 (20:25):
Daughter both got matching tattoos and her daughters.
Speaker 2 (20:28):
I think she's like eighteen. Yeah, she's like my daughter
tricked me. So that's the trick.
Speaker 1 (20:31):
That's the listening and.
Speaker 3 (20:32):
Get go right to the pull on the heart strings
and mommy, okay.
Speaker 2 (20:35):
Yes, so talk to me about this whole entrepreneurship journey
for you, though, I want to say another thing, as
we were talking about earlier, you know, diet and making
sure that we're taking care of ourselves from the inside out.
Speaker 1 (20:47):
You know.
Speaker 2 (20:47):
We also on the show have discussed a lot about
like women's health issues and fibruarys and detoxes and things
like that. What are some things that you do to
make sure that you maintain yourself as amazingly as you have?
Speaker 3 (20:59):
Well, I think I think that if people really sit
down with themselves, sometimes we don't work out because we
just don't feel like it, even though we know all
of the benefits.
Speaker 1 (21:08):
It's my last priority, last priority.
Speaker 3 (21:10):
So I sat down with myself and I was like,
what is this? I don't feel like it. What is
it really about? And I prayed about it and all
the things, and I meditated on it, and I realized
that it wasn't convenient. You know how when you have
stuff to do, it all can work. I can pick
(21:31):
up that before work, I can get to work, I
can do that after work. I can make somebody help
me pick up my kids after this. Before you have logistics.
So I was like, I have to put exercise in
an easy logistics for me. So I did for a
while because I wanted to try different things. One thing
I tried is I would put my let's say, leggings
on or my shorts on and my tank top and
(21:52):
that's what I would sleep in.
Speaker 1 (21:53):
So you get up and go right away, and I
get up and go right away.
Speaker 3 (21:56):
I had to pre prepare. And that's a little dramatic,
but that's half.
Speaker 2 (22:00):
The battle is getting dressed. Yes, yes, once you put
the clothes on, don't committed.
Speaker 3 (22:05):
The second thing I did was because then going to
the gym became problematic. I created a side of the
bad workout. Just get down there. You don't need any equipment.
You do push ups, sit ups, squats, lunges, jump up
and down and call it a day. You could do
that whole thing three times every day.
Speaker 1 (22:29):
Have you posted it?
Speaker 3 (22:30):
I did. I had a fitness app for a while. Yeah, Like,
I mean, maybe we'll do it together, gym wraps. We
need to, We'll do a FaceTime and do it together
like women.
Speaker 2 (22:40):
Because I travel a lot too, and so I noticed
that for a hotel and it's perfect for it.
Speaker 3 (22:45):
So then I was like, Okay, make it a part
of a pre prepared routine, that's the getting dressed at night.
Do it on the side of the bed. And then
there was a third excuse, and it was like because
I don't feel like it could still win. I was like,
most of us believe in being grateful, right, whether it's
to whatever God you believe in, you always say thank
(23:07):
you to that high apoblety. And I decided, what if
I categorized a short circuit or exercise of some cardio
as the way I say thank you? Okay, I bow
my head every day before a meal, every single time,
at an airport, in a fast food chain, or at
a dinner table. Why can't I take thirty minutes to
(23:30):
say thank you. Okay, just thank you. I'm not trying
to lose weight, I'm not trying to burn this, I'm
not trying to build anything. I am just saying thank you.
Speaker 1 (23:41):
That's a great idea.
Speaker 3 (23:42):
And I just tie my gym wrap on and say
thank you.
Speaker 2 (23:46):
Because I really do all the things like look, I
don'n downloaded apps.
Speaker 1 (23:49):
Yes, I got yoga mats.
Speaker 3 (23:52):
For the traveling for the hotel room.
Speaker 2 (23:54):
I got treadmills, I got a bike, I got all.
Speaker 1 (23:57):
The things like where what is up all these?
Speaker 3 (23:59):
And you know, he's Spartacus, and if you go back
twenty five years, he looks exactly the same. He's one
of those people that was, of course an athlete, but
when he stopped playing professional tennis, it's just in him
to want to feel a certain way. So exercise is
part of that.
Speaker 1 (24:18):
Yeah, and so yeah, it's not fair, it's not fair.
Speaker 3 (24:23):
But so he works out all the time. So when
I created a gym rap, I had to include men.
So he wears them every day. He just ties the
black bandy or the cameo full train.
Speaker 2 (24:34):
What I like is that they're beautiful too, And sometimes
I think like things like that normally aren't like cute,
but I also like to work out when I have
like little cute things to work out in it. Yes,
I don't want to be one of those people that
always like take pictures, because you know how there's people
that go to the gym and they like take pictures
and videos and that's it, and you're like, did you
do anything? But it is nice when you can have
something cute on. It makes you a little graphic. Yes,
(24:56):
you feel a little pumped up. I think we need
a gym rap playlist along. Yeah, I want to know
what's on your What is on your playlist? It could
be like whatever, Like what is some things you listen
to when you work out?
Speaker 3 (25:08):
Well, right now I'm listening to Bad Bunny. Yeah it's serious.
Speaker 2 (25:17):
So you were excited when they announced that he's doing
the halftime show. Yes, yes, I think it's a beautiful thing.
Speaker 3 (25:23):
Yes, me too. I think you know. Sometimes we were
talking before we went on the air about the craziness
we're all experiencing and witnessing, and sometimes God puts craziness
in front of your face to make everyone come together
and wake up. And there's something about the NFL choosing
bad bunny to do that right, and so everybody is
(25:46):
coming out of the woodwork to celebrate this moment, which
makes me feel good in the craziness Roles.
Speaker 1 (25:51):
I thought that was a really clever choice.
Speaker 2 (25:53):
It wasn't even somebody I was thinking of, because when
we were trying to speculate, you know, they're always like,
who's going to be doing a super halftime show? I
was thinking, like, Tayla's so, but then they said she
was out right, and then when they annasced, I was like,
that's really like the perfect choice right now in the
midst of all this is super smart to be able
to do that, and he's a huge star, you know,
no matter what. But now you see Ice is saying
they're going to be they're going to have the President's office.
(26:15):
They're saying they're going to have Ice there to kind
of like, I guess, harass people or I don't know
how they put it, but yeah, so that's the other.
Speaker 3 (26:24):
Thing, you know, Molly Willim danger Girl.
Speaker 2 (26:29):
It feels like a movie, Like that's what it feels like.
I can't believe this is, you know what things have
come to. I saw in Canada they've made like a
travel warning to come to the United States, and you
see how many people are like canceling travel here. You
see how Vegas is struggling right now, they're like doing
their first discounts ever because internationally people aren't trying to
(26:50):
come here right now. They don't feel they don't feel
safe come into the United States. But everything that's happening here,
and I think that's awful, Like that's not what this
is supposed to be about.
Speaker 3 (26:59):
So I just don't understand what the what the forecast is,
Like what are you hoping to achieve? Like for all
of us to be gone? And then y'all stuck with y'all?
Like fine, Latinos and blacks can survive in their own neighborhoods,
right if you just like you know, Tulsa, like we
are fully sufficient. We're athletes, bankers, musicians, restauranteurs, everything, But
(27:26):
the elimination is the frightening thing.
Speaker 1 (27:30):
Like who are y'all gonna temorize? If you we're not hearing?
Speaker 3 (27:33):
Do you know what I mean? But no, but like,
what are you hoping to achieve? What is this just
just white faces? Is that what're you're going for?
Speaker 2 (27:40):
Like it's and it's so interesting to me because when
we talk about people who are, say undocumented, there's white
people undocumented here.
Speaker 1 (27:47):
They're just not getting harassed.
Speaker 2 (27:49):
Yeah, because for some reason, are we supposed to think
that that's what America is like white people are the.
Speaker 1 (27:57):
Like, no, that's not what this is.
Speaker 3 (27:59):
Like, I just I just don't get it. Yeah, And
they're and they're and they're adding the narrative of criminal
you know, criminalizing us and all these things, and it's like, Okay,
you're all all it's going to be pure lily white. Okay,
get your dream come true. There's going to be thieves
and criminals and and all kinds. You're going to face
to face with yourself. It's a it's a pipe it's
(28:20):
awful pipe dream.
Speaker 1 (28:25):
What what are some projects that you're working on in
the future.
Speaker 2 (28:28):
I'm just curious, like, aside from obviously you know, the
gym wraps have been popping.
Speaker 1 (28:32):
I know. I'm sorry. That's why I want to get
back to you.
Speaker 3 (28:34):
Yes, oh okay, tell me who sah?
Speaker 1 (28:37):
All right? What else is Nicole Iie Parker working.
Speaker 3 (28:39):
On a lot of little things? You know, with the
actor you you can't say yes, yes, okay, oh, but
I'm in Green Lantern.
Speaker 1 (28:49):
Okay, yes, I see that DC. Yes, all right, well.
Speaker 3 (28:51):
It's coming out. The series is coming out next year.
I shot it this summer.
Speaker 1 (28:55):
Okay, so it's all done and wrapped.
Speaker 3 (28:57):
Yes, all done and wrapped.
Speaker 1 (28:59):
So I'll see you again for that. Yes.
Speaker 3 (29:01):
And you know I love being back in New York.
Took fifteen years to get Boris to say, let's come back.
Speaker 2 (29:07):
I know we're happy that you're back here till I
can't even imagine how different it is from when you
lived here before.
Speaker 3 (29:13):
Oh it's it's very different. But I just love this city.
I love it so much.
Speaker 2 (29:18):
This city loves you so thank you to see now,
how can people get these gym reps to just letting
people know where they can find it?
Speaker 1 (29:24):
And then I know you're going to be working on
that playlist too.
Speaker 3 (29:27):
Oh yes, I am to make note for yes, okay,
it comes out tomorrow. Okay, okay, all right, I'll have
it out tomorrow. So where can people find it? Gimrep
dot com.
Speaker 1 (29:39):
Oh well that makes sense, gymrap dot com. I'm on it.
Speaker 2 (29:42):
By the way, we're going to be ordering those because
I can see myself looking.
Speaker 3 (29:45):
Cute and I'm going to send you a gift box.
Speaker 2 (29:46):
All right, I'm still order it though. It sounds like
a great gift in time for the holidays. Yes, I
love that.
Speaker 1 (29:51):
And you got to come back up and see us.
Now that you're here, there's no excuses.
Speaker 3 (29:54):
I will always for you.
Speaker 1 (29:56):
All right, thank you. It's way up
Way Up With Angela Yee News
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Angela Yee
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